A method is provided for quickly and simply generating a three-dimensional tomographic x-ray imaging. tomosynthetic projection images are recorded from different recording angles along a tomosynthetic scanning path and three-dimensional image data is reconstructed from the tomosynthetic projection images. The tomosynthetic projection images are recorded by a tomosynthetic x-ray device with a plurality of x-ray sources arranged on a holder at a distance from one another. Each projection image is recorded by a different x-ray source being fixed in one place during recording the tomosynthetic projection images.
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9. An x-ray device for generating a three-dimensional tomosynthetic x-ray imaging of an object in combination with an alternative non-tomosynthetic x-ray imaging of the object, comprising:
a first holder;
a plurality of tomosynthetic x-ray sources arranged on the holder at a distance from one another for emitting x-ray beams;
a further x-ray source disposed on the holder having the tomosynthetic x-ray sources, the further x-ray source arranged to provide the alternative x-ray imaging of the object; and
an x-ray detector for recording a plurality of tomosynthetic projection images of the object from different recording angles along a tomosynthetic scanning path in order to reconstruct the three-dimensional x-ray imaging,
wherein the plurality of tomosynthetic x-ray sources are configured to be consecutively and individually activated and remain in same position during recording the tomosynthetic projection images, wherein signals from the further x-ray source are acquired and processed to provide the alternative non-tomosynthetic imaging of the object.
1. A method for generating a three-dimensional x-ray tomosynthetic imaging of an object in combination with an alternative non-tomosynthetic x-ray imaging of the object, comprising:
recording a plurality of tomosynthetic projection images of the object from different recording angles along a tomosynthetic scanning path by a tomosynthetic x-ray device comprising an x-ray detector and a plurality of tomosynthetic x-ray sources arranged on a holder at a distance from one another;
disposing on the holder having the tomosynthetic x-ray sources a further x-ray source to provide the alternative x-ray imaging of the object;
reconstructing the three-dimensional x-ray imaging from the tomosynthetic projection images; and
acquiring and processing signals from the further x-ray source to provide the alternative non-tomosynthetic imaging of the object;
wherein each of the tomosynthetic projection images is recorded by a different x-ray source of the plurality of tomosynthetic x-ray sources and the plurality of tomosynthetic x-ray sources remain in same position during recording the tomosynthetic projection images.
2. The method as claimed in
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10. The tomosynthetic x-ray device as claimed in
11. The tomosynthetic x-ray device as claimed in
12. The tomosynthetic x-ray device as claimed in
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14. The tomosynthetic x-ray device as claimed in
a first C-arm to support the first holder on a first plane;
a second holder,
a second C-arm to support the second holder on a second plane different than the first plane;
a plurality of second set of tomosynthetic x-ray sources arranged on the second holder at a distance from one another;
a second further x-ray source disposed on the second holder having the second set of tomosynthetic x-ray sources, the second further x-ray source arranged to provide further alternative x-ray non-tomosynthetic imaging of the object; and
a second x-ray detector.
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This application claims priority of German application No. 10 2009 043 421.6 filed Sep. 29, 2009, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The invention relates to a method for three-dimensional x-ray imaging as well as to a device for carrying out such a method.
In order to obtain depth information of an object to be examined, what is referred to as tomography was developed as far back as the 1960s. Tomographs are images free from overlays of all object details lying in a particular slice. With a tomograph an x-ray source is moved in a first plane from a point “A” to a point “B”, e.g. above the object to be examined, while an x-ray detector is moved below the object to be examined, for example in a plane parallel to the first plane, from point “B” to point “A”. As a result of the movements the projections of all points of the irradiated object move in the image plane. Sharp images are only obtained of those object areas of which the projections are moving in the film plane at the same speed as the x-ray detector. The first solutions for tomography possessed a “tomo bar” with which a mechanical coupling between x-ray source and x-ray detector was achieved, modern solutions possess an electronic control which controls the motorized drive for x-ray source and x-ray detector.
Tomo synthesis represents a further development of tomography. In this system the images are not simply averaged during the movement but are recorded individually and then fed to a 3D reconstruction method. The advantage is that not only one individual slice but a number of parallel slices can be reconstructed. In addition the x-ray source can be moved in different scanning paths, such as ellipses, loops or spirals for example, with the scanning path always remaining in one plane however. A tomosynthesis system with a C-arm is known for example from DE 10 2007 037 996 A1.
3D x-ray imaging with this type of tomosynthesis system with a C-arm or with x-ray source and x-ray detector arranged mechanically independently of each other is far slower for example than computed tomography since a CT gantry can be rotated very quickly because of its mechanical properties.
The object of the present invention is to provide a tomosynthesis method which makes possible especially fast and easy recording of 3D images; the object of the invention is to provide an x-ray device suitable for carrying out the method.
The object is inventively achieved by a method for three-dimensional tomographic x-ray imaging and by a device in accordance with the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the associated dependant claims in each case.
With the method for three-dimensional tomographic x-ray imaging, tomosynthetic projection images are recorded from different recording angles along a tomosynthetic scanning path and three-dimensional image data is reconstructed from the tomosynthetic projection images, with a tomosynthetic x-ray device being used with a plurality of x-ray sources arranged at a distance from one on a holder, with each projection image being created in each case by means of a different x-ray source and the x-ray sources being fixed in their positions during the method. There is thus no mechanical movement on the part of the x-ray sources but instead the change of recording angle is solely effected by the activation of the x-ray sources one after the other. The inventive method enables fast, simple and effortless recording of projection images from a number of recording angles without a movement of the x-ray source. This makes a very fast recording time possible which is not restricted by mechanical movements but at most by the detector readout time. In this way new applications of real-time imaging such as tomographic fluoroscopy, real-time localization of interventional instruments and 4D angiography are possible.
To carry out the method a tomosynthetic x-ray device, featuring a holder with a plurality of x-ray sources arranged at a distance from one another and an x-ray detector are used, with the x-ray sources being arranged such that sequential activation of individual x-ray sources enables tomosynthetic projection images to be recorded from different recording angles along a tomosynthetic scanning path. The x-ray sources are thus arranged in a form which in known tomosynthetic methods is described by the scanning path of the single x-ray source. In particular the x-ray sources are all located in one plane. The x-ray sources are activated for the inventive method in accordance with a time sequence, with for example x-ray sources arranged next to one another being able to be activated directly after one another; during this process a projection image is then recorded in each case by means of the x-ray detector.
The x-ray sources are provided in accordance with one embodiment of the invention in an elliptical or circular or rectangular or spiral-shaped or linear arrangement, especially in a common plane. Accordingly the associated tomosynthetic scanning path is embodied elliptically or as a circle or a rectangle or a spiral or a line. The tomosynthetic scanning path can be closed or non-closed in such cases.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention the x-ray detector used for recording the projection images is moved during the method. The x-ray detector is for example synchronized with the activation of the x-ray sources in a plane parallel to the plane of the x-ray source arrangement. In this case the movement of the x-ray detector is such that the projections of the x-ray sources onto the x-ray detector at the time of their activation exhibit a common virtual fulcrum.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention the x-ray detector used to record the projection images is fixed in one position during the method. This is above all also advantageous if the x-ray sources or the x-ray detector are arranged on a common C-arm, since then no mechanical movement is necessary. The x-ray detector in this case is sufficiently large and is arranged such that a projection through the area of the object to be examined to be recorded or the fulcrum on the x-ray detector is possible from all x-ray sources to be activated.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention of the x-ray sources are formed by emission guns with field emission cathodes. Such field emission guns are especially small and light to manufacture. In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention the field emission cathodes are formed on the basis of carbon nano tubes so called CNT cathodes). These types of material exhibit an especially good emission characteristic but are also stable with high currents and can also be manufactured especially small. Field emission gins can also be activated especially quickly and generate no heat or little heat.
In an advantageous manner a further central x-ray source is arranged on the holder. Thus for example a C-arm x-ray system with a conventional x-ray source can be modified such that an arrangement of x-ray sources can be additionally attached to the C-arm. In this way both tomosynthesis in accordance with the inventive method and also conventional x-ray imaging is possible.
Expediently the x-ray sources and the x-ray detectors are arranged together on a C-arm.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention the tomosynthetic x-ray device is embodied as a biplanar x-ray device with a second holder with a plurality of x-ray sources arranged at a distance from one another and a second x-ray detector. The tomosynthetic x-ray device can for example feature two adjustable C-arms, on each of which a plurality of x-ray sources and an x-ray detector are arranged.
The invention as well as further advantageous embodiment in accordance with features of the dependant claims will be explained below in greater detail with reference to schematically represented exemplary embodiments in the drawing, without the invention being restricted to these exemplary embodiments. The drawings show:
A known tomography or tomosynthetic x-ray device is shown in
The inventive method, by contrast with the known tomosynthetic method, is far faster and able to be carried out without mechanical movement. This allows a reconstructed 3D image to be obtained much more quickly and the wear on the mechanical components is much lower. The most important components of inventive tomosynthetic x-ray devices are shown in
The x-ray emitters are especially formed by field emission guns which are embodied especially small, light and efficient. The field emission guns each have a field emission cathode for generating and transmitting electrons. With a field emission cathode electrons are emitted by applying a sufficiently high electrical field. Field emission cathodes allow a very high, well controlled and easily-focusable electron beam flow. The x-ray emitters can each be assigned collimators which form the x-ray beam generated by the respective x-ray emitters such that the x-ray beam is emitted in the desired direction.
In the inventive method, especially under the control of a system controller of the tomography x-ray device, the x-ray emitters arranged in the arrangement are activated one after the other to emit x-ray radiation and a projection image is recorded for each x-ray emitter in each case. The x-ray emitters in this case are especially activated in the order of their arrangement. For the linear arrangement in
In accordance with a second alternative—shown in FIG. 3—the x-ray detector is embodied sufficiently large to ensure that the x-ray beam of each possible x-ray emitter still arrives at the x-ray detector after passing through the fulcrum. In the method the x-ray emitters are activated in turn as described above and projection images are recorded, with only a part of the x-ray detector being irradiated here for each projection image.
An elliptical arrangement of the x-ray emitters is shown in
From the projection images recorded slices 14 of the object to be examined can be reconstructed in the known way by means of an image processing unit or a data-processing unit with corresponding software and thereby a 3D image created. The slices or the 3D image can subsequently be shown on a display unit.
The inventive tomosynthesis x-ray device can also be embodied as a modified angiography system in which, in addition to a first main x-ray source 20 (
A biplanar system with, two C-arms for example, can also be provided, with a plurality of x-ray sources being arranged in a corresponding arrangement (e.g. field emission guns) and an x-ray detector. A biplanar system is also possible in which a main x-ray source as well as a plurality of further x-ray sources are provided in a corresponding arrangement on each C-arm.
An inventive tomosynthetic x-ray device or a combined angiography-tomosynthetic x-ray device, in addition to tomosynthesis, enables the following applications to be carried out for example:
Within the framework of the invention the x-ray sources, for example the field emission radiators, of the arrangement are activated synchronized in time in each case with the movement of the x-ray detector, while the x-ray detector is moving below the patient linearly for example. The movement of the x-ray detector and the synchronized activation of the x-ray sources causes linear slice images to be created. In a further alternative a sufficiently large x-ray detector can also remain static. Any given slices of the area to be examined which are irradiated by all x-ray sources can then be reconstructed.
The invention can be briefly summarized as follows: For an especially fast and simple 3D imaging a method is provided for three-dimensional tomographic x-ray imaging is provided in which tomosynthetic projection images are recorded from different recording angles along a tomosynthetic scanning path and three-dimensional image data is reconstructed from the tomosynthetic projection images, with a tomosynthetic x-ray device with a plurality of x-ray sources spaced at a distance from each other on a holder being used, with each projection image in each case being created by a different x-ray source and the x-ray sources being fixed in the same place during the method.
Heigl, Benno, Maschke, Michael, Boese, Jan, Kunze, Holger, Dennerlein, Frank
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